Foldable shelter structure with zig-zag roof profile



H. G. YATES T L 3,407,546

FOLDABLE SHELTER STRUCTURE WITH ZIG-ZAG ROOF PROFILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 23, 1965 INVENTOR. HERBERT G. YATES GEOFFREY WILCOX AttorneyOct. 29, 1968 H. G. YATES ET AL FOLDABLE SHELTER STRUCTURE WITH ZIG-ZAGROOF PROFILE Filed Feb. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j 53 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. HERBERT G. YATES GEOFFREY WILCOX DKIn-Q M Attorney UnitedStates Patent 3,407,546 FOLDABLE SHELTER STRUCTURE WITH ZIG-ZAG ROOFPROFILE Herbert G. Yates, Scarborough, and Geotlrey Wilcox, RichmondHill, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Format Industrial Corporation Ltd.,Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,365 3 Claims.(Cl. 52-18) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foldable shelter structure witha roof made from sheets of semi-rigid material that have been pleated oraccordionated into parallel panels along fold lines normal to the roofpeak. The roof peak has a zig-zag profile by reason of the two slopes ofthe roof being joined such that the outwardly projecting fold lines ofeach slope meet, and the inwardly projecting fold lines of each slopemeet. Pairs of adjacent panels are then given mutually opposed twistsabout a line roughly parallel to their line of intersection, thereby tostrengthen the panels.

This invention relates to a shelter structure and has particularrelation to a foldable panel type shelter structure which will standerect without the need for an auxiliary frame to provide the requisiterigidity.

A number of proposals have been made to provide panel type foldableportable shelter structures which are cheap and easy to manufacture butone difficulty encountered in their construction arises from thenecessity to provide rigidity, particularly at the apex of the roof,without resorting to the use of struts or trusses to prevent collapse.

It is an object of the invention to provide a panel type foldableshelter structure which is quick and easy to erect and has a high degreeof rigidity, particularly in the region of the apex of the roof, withoutthe use of struts or trusses,

The invention will now be described in relation to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a length of sheet material provided with foldlines from which the panels of a shelter structure can be formed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the folding of the sheet of FIGURE 1to provide the stressed condition in the panels;

FIGURE 3 is a view of another embodiment of the structure illustrated inFIGURE 2 but formed from a pair of attached scored sheets;

FIGURE 4 is a cross section of a preferred type of sheet;

FIGURE 5 is a view of a preferred type of shelter structure constructedaccording to the invention having side walls;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the shelter structure shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 there is shown a plane sheet of material 10having a front edge 12, a back edge 14 and sides 16 and 18. The size ofthe sheet 10 will vary with the length and height of the structure whichit is desired to construct.

The sheet 10 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart fold lines 20which extend from the front edge 12 to the back edge 14. The fold lines20 are arranged whereby they define alternatively inwardly and outwardlyprojecting edges on the application of pressure to the sides 16 and 18of the sheet of material 10.

The next step is to provide a further fold line 24 on the sheet 10intermediate of the front edge 12 and the back edge -14 andsubstantially parallel thereto. The flat 3,4fi7,546 Patented Oct. 29,1968 sheet 10 is then transformed to the condition of FIGURE 2 byfolding along the fold line 24 whereby the front edge 12 and the backedge 14 move downwards and the fold line 24 forms the roof of a shelter26 in which the panels 22 form opposed side portions 28 and 30 wit-h thefold lines 20 defining alternatively inwardly and outwardly projectingedges. The next step is to supply the requisite rigidity and in thisembodiment rigidity is provided as indicated in FIGURE 2 by gatheringthe bottom of the side portions 28 and 30 together in concertina fashionand maintaining them in this position; it will be observed that the roofalong the fold line 24 adopts an arcuate configuration. As a result ofthis movement of the bottom portions 28 and 30 each of the panels 22 istwisted about an imaginary line roughly parallel to the lines 20defining its edges. It is to be noted that the twist in any twoadjoining panels in relation to their length is in opposite directions.In this embodiment the provision of stress in opposed directions to anadjoining pair of panels 22 on erection of the structure 26 gives theroof along the fold line 24 the requisite strength without the necessityof providing separate roof struts.

Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 of thedrawings. Here, the structure 26 is constructed of a sheet 10 comprisedof two parts 32 and 34 each provided with the requisite fold lines 20.Each of the parts 32 and 34 is provided with flaps 36 and the two parts32 and 34 are then aligned such that inwardly and outwardly projectingedges of the part 32 are aligned, respectively, with inwardly andoutwardly projecting edges of the part 34, upon which the flaps 36 areglued in position as shown.

In the structure shown in FIG. 3, it is not absolutely necessary to givea twist in opposite directions to each pair of adjacent panels 22, andno such twist has been shown in FIG. 3. Twisting of the panels in thisembodiment is not essential because considerable rigidity and strengthis lent to the structure by the zig-zag profile of the roof peak. Unlessthe the individual panels 22 of the parts 32 and 34 are expanded orcontracted in accordion fashion the zigzag roof profile will stronglyresist any attempt to change its peak angle. Naturally, it would nothurt to give the panels some degree of mutually opposed twist, but thiswill merely increase the considerable rigidity and strength that thestructure already possesses.

The sheet 10 preferably has a thermally insulative core 38 sandwichedbetween a skin 40 and an opposed skin 42. Folding of the sheet 10 in thedesired manner is conveniently induced by scoring the sheet 10alternatively, in other words with respect to any one score line 20 onone skin 40 the immediately adjacent score lines 20 are provided on theopposed skin 42. A particularly useful type of sheet material comprisesa core 38 of polyurethane which has been suitably attached to a skin 40and an opposed skin 42 of linear board, the latter being then treatedwith suitable agents such as a concrete latex paint or polyethylene toensure its ability to repel moisture and prevent deterioration.

As indicated in FIGURE 5 the stressed panels 22 of the roof structure 26shown in FIG. 3 may be incorporated in a form of building in which thereare lower side wall portions 44 and 46 which also have a pleatedconfiguration of panels 48 which are substantially the same width as thepanels 22. The side wall portions 44 and 46 may also be convenientlyformed from sheets of the type already described and in order to providethe panels 48 the sheets are scored vertically with lines '50 which arealso alternate with respect to the opposed outer skin 40* and inner skin42.

The side wall portions 44 and 46 are joined to the roof structure 26whereby the whole is foldable along the junctions of pairs of panels 22and 48. This is achieved by tapering each pair of adjacent panels 48towards each other at their upper ends along diagonal lines 52 wherebyeach pair of panels 48 forms a tooth 54; the lower ends of each of apair of panels 22 of the roof structure 26 are similarly tapered to forma tooth 56 corresponding in size with the tooth 54. The side walls 44and 46 are then aligned to the roof structure 26 whereby the teeth 54and 56 complement each other; the junction is made along the lines 52 bysuitable means such as glue to provide a fold line connecting a scoreline 20 and 50 bearing the same relation with respect to the outer skins40 and 42 respectively whereas aligned score lines 20 and 50 will hearan alternate relation with respect to the outer and inner skins 40 and42 respectively of the material. In the result if pressure is applied tothe ends of the roof structure 26 and the side wall portions 44 and 46the whole will foldably collapse along the folding score lines 20 and 50and connecting fold lines 52.

It is also possible to score a single sheet in such a way as to provideone half of the roof structure 26 integrally with its adjoining sidewall portion, i.e., the side wall portion 44 and the half of the roofstructure 26 visible in FIG. 5. This is accomplished by scoring the asyet unfolded sheet with a plurality of fold lines running from the roofpeak edge of the sheet to the edge which will form the base of a sidewall. The lines are scored such that, for example, a given line beginsat 51 (FIG. 6) as an inwardly projecting edge line, and extends as suchto its junction with the connecting fold line 52, at which point itchanges to an outwardly projecting edge line and so continues to thepoint 53. The next adjacent line is exactly reversed, beginning at theroof peak as an outwardly projecting edge line, and changing to aninwardly projecting edge line where it meets line 52. The score linesalternate in this fashion over the whole width of the sheet. Theentirety of the zig-zag fold line 52, however, is scored as an outwardlyprojecting edge.

Although considerable strength and rigidity are already present in thestructure of FIGS. and 6 due to the zig-zag profile of the roof peak, itis possible, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, to increase thestrength of the structure by giving mutually opposed twists to pairs ofadjacent panels. Such stressing of the panels 22 in the structure 26 inthe erected position illustrated in FIG- URE 5 is achieved byapplication of pressure inwards at the mid point of the side wallportions 44 and 46 whereby they adopt an arcuate position, and thetension in the panels 22 is maintained by securing the bases of the sidewall portions 44 and 46 by means of flaps 58. The ends of the side walls44 and 46 will then be positioned closer together than the ends of theroof structure 26 and the panels 22 of the latter will adopt the twistedconfiguration already described with respect to FIGURE 2.

Alternatively, the length of the outer panels 22 and 48 of the wallportions 44 and 46 respectively may be adjusted whereby the bases are ina substantially straight line and the stress is still applied bybringing the ends closer together.

As indicated in FIGURE 5 the ends of the structure 26 with side walls 44and 46 may be closed by suitable partitioning 60 provided with anopening 62. It will :be appreciated, however, that the struts 64 simplysupport the partitioning 60 and are not necessary to provide therequisite strength in the roof structure 26. Thus by way of example andnot by way of limitation the structure as shown in FIGURE 5, withoutclosed ends, constructed of 4 polyurethane sheet covered with cardboardwhich is prayed with a latex paint withstood wind velocities up to mph.without collapse.

While certain embodiments have been illustrated and described for thepurpose of disclosure, it will" be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto, but contemplates such modifications and otherembodiments as may be utilized without departing from the invention.

We claim:

1. A collapsible shelter structure comprising a first and a second roofsection, and a first and a second wall section, said sections being ofsemi-rigid weather proof material, each section comprising a pluralityof substantially parallelsi-ded panel's connected to one another bypanel fold lines at said substantially parallel sides, said panel foldlines defining alternatively inwardly and outwardly projecting edges inthe sections, the first and second roof section being connected to eachother to provide an apex to said structure, said apex having a zig-zagprofile by reason of the first and the second roof section beingconnected so that inwardly and outwardly projecting edges of the firstroof section are aligned, respectively, with inwardly and outwardlyprojecting edges of the second roof section, the first and the secondwall section being connected to the first and the second roof sectionrespectively, the panel fold lines in each roof section being alignedwith the panel fold lines in the corresponding wall section such that aninwardly projecting edge of a roof section meets an outwardly projectingedge of its corresponding wall section, and vice versa, each adjacentpair of panels having a mutually opposed twist along their length, suchthat each adjacent pair of panels is strengthened by torsion.

2. A collapsible shelter structure as claimed in claim 1, in which theends of the wall sections are disposed outwardly with respect to theirintermediate portions to give adjacent pairs of panels said mutuallyopposed twist.

3. A collapsible shelter structure as claimed in claim 1, in which theopposed lower ends of each wall section are closer together than theends of said apex, whereby each pair of adjacent panels in the sectionsis subjected to said mutually opposed twists.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,186,524 6/1965 Spaeth 52-6302,982,290 5/1961 Hunziker 5281 3,118,186 1/1964 Moss S27l 3,203,1448/1965 Fuller 52-81 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,280,028 11/1961 France. 1,162,0421/1964 Germany.

380,933 10/1964 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics, December 1958, pp. 91-93.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

C. G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner.

